The L.A. Times Festival of Books is like, totally back and it’s like celebrating its 30th anniversary, you know? The weekend will be jam-packed with readings, signings, screenings, and panels with some big shot authors and speakers from all over the place. This year’s lineup includes the “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu, comedian Chelsea Handler, exoneree Amanda Knox, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen, politician Stacey Abrams, and poet Amanda Gorman who recited that poem at Biden’s inauguration, remember?
Scheduled for April 26 and 27, this annual literary festival brings in more than 550 storytellers to the USC campus, spread across seven outdoor stages and 15 indoor venues. Some other famous folks making an appearance include Big Sean, Joanna “Jojo” Levesque, Blippi (whoever that is), Marcia Clark, Griffin Dunne, Josh Gad, and a whole bunch more.
A highlight of the fest will be Gorman talking about her picture book “Girls on the Rise” as part of the Ideas Exchange speaker series. She’s written a bunch of children’s books, in case you didn’t know. Also, bestselling romantasy author Rebecca Yarros will be there talking about her latest book. And let’s not forget about the Giggly Squad podcast hosts bringing some comic relief, or the debut of PBS Masterpiece’s “Miss Austen” based on a novel by Gill Hornby.
There will be cooking demos from Roy Choi, Christina Tosi, and Brooke Williamson, along with a stage dedicated to Spanish and Spanglish programming. And to celebrate the festival’s 30th anniversary, some writers will reflect on the event. The festivities kick off on April 25 with The Times hosting the 45th annual Book Prizes, where some big names will be getting awards.
So, mark your calendars because admission to this festival is totally free. And if you want to splurge a little, you can grab a Friend of the Festival package that includes reservations, parking, and some cool festival merchandise. Sounds like a good time, right?
